


Firelight

by margaerystark



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1960s, Camping, F/M, University
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-07-29 05:23:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16257524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/margaerystark/pseuds/margaerystark
Summary: Margaery agrees to go on a camping trip with Sansa and some of her friends and family during spring holiday. She winds up meeting someone there who subverts all of her expectations...





	1. Part I

“Just think about it. A week of pure, uninterrupted bliss in the mountains. Clean air, cooking s’mores on the fire every night… And you’ll get to meet Jeyne and Arya and Robb and Jon and Theon.”

Margaery gave a small sigh, her fingers drumming on the armrest of the couch where she was sat in the common area of her dorm. Her best friend had just spent the better part of an hour on the phone trying to convince her to come up to Winterfell for a camping trip with some of her friends and family, and she was beginning to think Sansa wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.

The two of them hadn’t physically been in each other’s presence since they were teenagers but had kept in correspondence via letters and phone calls. They had hit it off right away at a horseback riding camp during the summer nearly five whole years ago, and they often joked about being long-distance sisters.

“I’d love to come, Sansa, but spring holiday is the only real time I have to study for exams,” she replied, coiling the phone cord around her finger. She was certain she had already said as much, but her friend didn’t let up.

“It’s only a week. I’ll even help you study there if you need it. You can bring Loras if you like so that you don’t feel left out!”

Sweet Sansa and her glaringly obvious yet innocent crush on Loras. Margaery had shown her friend a picture of her family the summer they met, and Sansa hadn’t stopped talking about Loras ever since.

She hesitated for a few seconds before finally giving in. “He might be able to swing a few days off of work.”

Sansa gave a squeal of delight on the other end. “That’s the spirit! We’re going to have so much fun, I promise you. You deserve some time to relax after how hard you’ve been working.”

Her friend was right, of course. She _had_ been overly invested in uni and needed to take a break for her own sanity.

“Jon and I will pick you up at the airport on Saturday. And don’t worry about paying for your tickets. I’ve got it. I can’t wait to see you again!”

“It’s been far too long,” Margaery agreed, finally allowing herself to smile, “I will see you Saturday.”

Sansa and Jon met her and Loras outside their terminal in Winterfell at the end of the week, and she nearly dropped her luggage as she all but ran to greet her friend, throwing her arms around her in a hug.

“Gods, you are all grown up and so beautiful,” she remarked, raising her eyebrows, “And… tall. Much taller than me now.”

 Sansa laughed, shaking her head in amusement. “Jon won’t admit it, but he’s quite pressed by the fact that I’m taller than him.”

 Introductions were made and the lot of them set off to the campsite in Jon’s modest car, cityscape quickly giving way to rolling hills and woodsy neighborhoods.

“Robb’s been pitching all of our tents since this afternoon which is why I brought Jon with me instead,” Sansa explained as they drove, “Theon was helping him when we left, and Arya and Jeyne were working on food for supper. So I think all that’s left is the fire… Sorry I’m so chatty, it’s just so good to see you.”

“No worries,” Margaery assured her, “I’m excited too. And really looking forward to meeting everyone. It’ll be nice to put faces to names.”

It did not take them long to drive up the mountain, though she thought perhaps present company and the view had to account for time flying by. Winterfell was truly stunning with its tall, green trees and mountaintops dusted with snow.

She caught sight of a few tents once they’d traversed a bumpy, dirt road and smiled to herself when she recognized Arya straight away with a tangled mess of dark hair, boyish clothes, and a playful grin.

“They’re here!” the younger girl yelled out, vaulting a picnic bench to get to them.

“I’ll grab your luggage,” Jon volunteered, “We can figure out sleeping arrangements after everyone gets acquainted.”

“There are enough tents for everyone to have their own, but I thought it might be fun to share some of the roomier ones,” Sansa suggested before unbuckling her seatbelt and stepping out of the car.

Loras raised his eyebrows at his sister teasingly, making her laugh. “I can’t believe you dragged me along to this.”

“Shut up, you’re going to love it,” she jested, opening her door. She felt her breath catch in her throat when she stepped out of the car and saw someone unfamiliar approach them.

She knew the young man had to be Sansa’s older brother just from his auburn curls, but what she hadn’t expected was for him to be so… devastatingly handsome. She smoothed down her skirt as he stepped forward to shake her hand, his smile sending her stomach aflutter.

“Hi, you must be Margaery,” he said, and she reached out to clasp his hand in return, “I’m Robb.”

It took her longer than she was proud of to answer. “Yes!” she exclaimed, smiling in return, “It’s so good to finally meet you.”

He looked to be opening his mouth to say something else, but Arya moved in front of him to introduce herself.

Margaery did her best not to continue stealing glances at Robb as she and Loras made the rounds, all of the people Sansa had described in her letters coming to life before her.

“We still need to grab kindle for the fire,” Jon announced once they were all settled around one of the picnic tables.

“Margaery and I will go grab some,” Loras volunteered immediately, “We could do with stretching our legs after that long plane ride.”

“Sure, thanks. There’s a couple of bags over there that you can use.” Jon gestured to the supplies tethered to the nearest tree. “And the walking trail to the stream has a lot of brush and sticks that should work.”

“Are you sure you don’t want anyone to go with you?” Robb spoke up, looking somewhat concerned.

Loras shook his head. “We’ll be fine, right, sis?”

“Yeah,” Margaery affirmed, standing up along with her brother. She wasn’t exactly sure what he was playing at, but she trusted him enough to follow his lead.

They took a couple of rucksacks from the pile of supplies and went on their way, following the marked trail into the forest.

As soon as they were alone and out of earshot, Loras practically keeled over with laughter, leaning against a tree to keep from falling. “Seven hells, what was _that_ , Margaery?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What was what?”

“You! Going all ‘deer in the headlights’ on Sansa’s older brother!” he declared, “I swear I’ve never seen you like that before. Have you forgotten how to flirt?”

Margaery felt her face grow hot. “Oh, be quiet,” she said, “It just took me by surprise, that’s all…”

“How good-looking he is?”

She nodded her head. “Do you think he knows?”

“That he’s stupidly attractive?”

“Loras...”

“Objectively speaking, of course. He’s not my type, but he’s pleasing to look at nonetheless… Yeah, I’m sure he knows.”

She gave a soft sigh, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear. “I know first impressions aren’t everything, but he seemed quite sweet.”

“So you’re going to go for it, then?” Loras asked with a grin, giving her shoulder a playful nudge.

“I don’t know… He might not even be interested.”

“Come off it, sis. Why wouldn’t he be? You’re gorgeous.”

She did her best to hide her scoff, bending down to grab another twig and add it to her bag. She  often wondered if that was all she was worth to the world - a pretty face for someone to show off every so often. She had once revelled in the thought of being a mother, but now she worried about having pretty daughters whose fates might echo her own.

She had very nearly become a trophy wife straight out of secondary school. By the time she turned eighteen, her home had been visited by dozens of wealthy, earnest young men. She had always been polite to them, even when she had schoolwork and friends she’d rather be thinking about, even when she noticed the lust in their eyes.

Her parents seemed pleased with her performance until she brought up the topic of university, outwardly baffled by the idea of her furthering her studies instead of wanting to settle down with a man she barely knew. She didn’t push, but that summer she could not help but retreat into herself, and her family noticed. Many a night she spent with her ear pressed to her parents’ door, listening to them debate her future.

It wasn’t until her grandmother added her voice to the conversation that she began to feel some semblance of hope.

_“It won’t hurt to let the girl get an education, Mace. She’ll most likely end up doing clerical work anyhow.”_

_“Margaery wouldn’t have to lift a finger if she married any one of the esteemed young men I’ve introduced her to! Why would she want to be a secretary for the rest of her life?”_

_“Every young woman her age is attending university these days. Let her have her fun. There will be plenty more bachelors waiting when she comes home after a few years.”_

And so she’d gone. She packed all she could fit into two suitcases and flown to King’s Landing to attend the all-girls university situated in the heart of the city.

While her roommates went out dancing and drinking on the weekends, she buried herself in books and classwork, certain she’d be content if she never danced with another man in her life. On occasion she’d run into someone on public transport or at the market who seemed interested, but she gently rejected their advances. She had almost started to believe that she’d been permanently turned off of the notion of fancying anybody, but the feeling she had when she saw Robb for the first time quickly changed her mind.

“I think that’s about all I can carry,” Loras spoke up, interrupting her thoughts, “Do you want to head back?”

She agreed, hitching her bag up over her shoulder and following her brother on the trail back to the campsite.

The sun had begun to set in the sky by then, and the golden light shone over the canopies of the trees, creating dancing patterns on the ground. They handed over the bags full of kindle and Jon lit a match and began to stoke the fire.

Margaery sat down on a log by the pit, rubbing her hands together to warm them. Her heart gave a leap in her chest when she saw a figure out of the corner of her eye take a seat next to her.

“Here,” Robb remarked, passing a pair of woolly gloves over to her, “They might be a bit large, but I don’t want your fingers to freeze.”

She glanced over at him, biting back a smile. “Thank you.” She slid the gloves onto her hands and crossed them in her lap.

“It’s a bit odd to meet you in person after Sansa’s been talking about you all these years,” he said, seemingly hoping to strike up a conversation.

She gave a small chuckle. “Only good things, I hope.”

“Oh yeah, of course… She really looks up to you. I’m glad she’s had an older girlfriend to go to for wisdom. We’re close, but I’m sure you know what it’s like to not want to talk to your brother about certain subjects.”

She nodded in understanding. “I hope my advice has been helpful.”

“I think so,” he said, pausing for a moment. “Did Sansa ever tell you anything about me?”

Margaery let out another giggle. “ _Loads,_ ” she teased, raising her eyebrows, “Like how you and Jon used to incessantly prank her.”

“Keywords being ‘used to’,” he protested with a smile, “I was a bit of a terror when I was younger, I’ll admit it.”

“Well it’s good that you can own up to your shit.”

“Yeah?” He laughed. “I’m glad you think so. I wouldn’t want you thinking badly of me.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm again. “Why’s that?”

“It would be a shame... because I think I’d rather like to be your friend.”

“I’d rather like that as well.” She gave him a grin of her own.

Theon sat down on Robb’s other side then, passing him a long stick. “It’s time for supper, mate,” he said, “I thought we could do the hot dogs for everyone.”

“Margaery!” Sansa called out, beckoning to her from the picnic table, “Can you come help us with the dishes?”

“Sure,” Margaery agreed before turning back to Robb. “I guess that’s my cue to leave,” she jested, “I’ll save you a spot next to me at dinner?”

“Please do.”

She stood to her feet and reached over to give his shoulder a gentle squeeze, then making her way over to Sansa and Jeyne who were setting the table.

Supper was a rather fun affair. They all crowded around the picnic table and swapped stories as they ate, not a single crumb left over when they were finished. Margaery saw Robb sneak several glances at her when the others weren’t looking, and each time her face grew hot. By all accounts, he was just as attracted to her as she was to him, though she wasn’t quite sure what to do with said information.

She tried returning his gloves to him once everyone started to settle down for bed, but he insisted that she keep them just in case her hands got cold during the night. Sansa had asked her then if she wished to share a tent with her and Jeyne, but she insisted on having her own so that she didn’t wake them up with her tossing and turning. And so she headed off to her tent with Robb’s gloves in her pocket, hoping she’d be able to get in a bit of studying before she went to sleep.

She did manage to read and take a few notes by lantern-light, but soon her mind began to get away from her. She had, in part, thrown herself into her studies to keep herself from thinking about what was going to happen to her after she graduated, though she couldn’t stop doubts from creeping into the back of her mind in the dead of the night.

After what felt like at least a fruitless hour of attempting to fall asleep, she decided to take her lanturn and go for a walk to try and clear her mind. She didn’t expect to find the tent across from hers to be lit up, however, and her brow furrowed when she realized it was Robb who was also still awake.

The dead leaves on the ground crunched beneath her feet as she inched a few steps forward, taking in a deep breath. The cold air filled her lungs and sobered her up a bit; she could scarcely believe she’d almost just walked over to Robb’s sleeping quarters without thinking, like a moth drawn to the flame.

_“Is he really so dangerous as a flame, though?”_ she thought to herself, _“What’s the worst that can happen? You’re smart enough not to let yourself get burned.”_

“Fuck it,” she whispered aloud then, making her way over to his tent. “Knock, knock,” she said quietly, fluttering the front flap with her fingers.

“Come in,” she heard in reply, and she drew back the tarp, crawling inside.

Robb sat up as she entered, his curls tousled on one side of his head and flattened on the other, presumably from laying on his side. She thought it was rather endearing.  

“I went outside to for some fresh air and saw that your light was still on,” she told him, tucking her legs underneath her, “If you’re going to sleep, I can leave.”

Robb shook his head. “I could use the company. Thanks for stopping by.”

She gave a small laugh and then moved to unlace her boots. “What’s got you up this late?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. Fretting over the future, wallowing in self-doubt, that sort of thing. You?”

“Exams.” The lie slipped out a bit too easily. “I was just thinking about uni.” She wasn’t quite sure she wished to disclose her deepest and darkest insecurities with a man she had only just met. “I’m not sure what you have to worry about, if you don’t mind me saying so,” she added, “You’re young and wealthy and handsome... “ The tips of his ears turned pink at her comments, making her smile. “And you’re at university now, no? You’ve got so much to look forward to, Robb. You have the whole world at your feet.”

He gave her a wistful smile of his own. “Why do you worry, then? I could say the same things about you.”

“It’s… different for women,” she told him, her gaze falling to the ground as she shivered slightly from the cold.

“Sorry, I didn’t meant to be insensitive,” he remarked. She looked up again when she heard the rustling of fabric, and he shuffled forward to offer her his hand. “There’s lots of room over here if you want to stay a while.”

“I’d like that,” she affirmed, trying not to laugh too loudly as he pulled her towards him and she all but fell into a mess of pillows and blankets. He grabbed a fleece so that he could cover her with it and then laid down beside her.

“Comfortable?” he asked, and she nodded. “You’re finishing up university this semester as well? What are you studying?”

“I’ll be graduating this May,” she told him, “With a degree in Agriculture and Life Sciences.”

He grinned. “Gods, that’s amazing, Margaery,” he declared, “I don’t know the first thing about any of that. I’m impressed.”

Margaery felt her mouth fall open slightly. No man had ever been interested in her field of study, and Robb’s words sounded genuine. “Thank you,” she remarked. She still wasn’t certain how honest she ought to be with him, but he had been nothing but open with her. “I’m not sure my parents will even be coming to my graduation,” she confessed, “I love them both dearly, but they don’t really understand my desire to further my education.”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, “For what it’s worth, I think it’s brilliant.”

Her heart sped up a bit at his words, and she found his hand under the blankets, giving it a squeeze. “Are you tired?” she asked.

“A bit... now that you’ve helped me unburden my mind,” he murmured in return, his cheeks pink.

“Should I leave?”

“No,” he whispered, trailing his thumb over her knuckles.

She smiled again, shutting her eyes and keeping a firm hold on his hand as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Part II

Margaery awoke to the sound of leaves crunching and her name being called. She blinked several times before realizing where she was and who she’d fallen asleep next to the night before, and she suddenly felt very awake, sitting up straight.

“Shit,” she muttered, glancing beside her to see Robb waking up, his eyes groggy with sleep.

He smiled when he registered that she was there, making her blush.

“I’d better go… Just so that people don’t get the wrong impression,” she said softly, giving him a gentle smile in return.

“Oh yeah, of course... Here, you can go out through the back.” He sat up as well and unzipped the flap closest to him, opening it for her as she hastily slipped on her boots.

“Thank you,” she muttered. She hesitated for a second before swooping in to press a kiss to his cheek.

She crouched low to the ground as she left his tent, hoping she wasn’t making too much noise as she shuffled towards the trees. It would be easy to concoct a story of how she went for a morning walk to clear her head. It _wouldn’t_ be easy to forget how wonderful Robb’s hand felt in hers and how much she desired him, however.  

The next few days held more of the same. She spent most of her time with Sansa or the whole group during the day and snuck over to Robb’s tent after everyone else went to sleep. They stayed up well into the night, talking about anything and everything. She liked holding his hand as she drifted off, and she found herself wondering what she was going to do when they parted ways and she would have to sleep alone again. Whenever they were apart she craved his company and the safe and warm feeling he invoked in her.

They awoke to a particularly sunny morning in the middle of the week, and Arya suggested they all take a hike to the waterfall on site, an attraction Sansa had been raving about for the better part of the trip.

“It might even be warm enough to take a swim!” the younger girl exclaimed in delight, “You brought your swimming suits, right? Margaery? Loras?”

The siblings nodded their heads at her question, and everyone scattered to their respective tents to change. Margaery blushed at the thought of Robb in swimming trousers as she slipped on her own bikini, throwing an oversized sweater over her head and a scooter skirt on her bottom half.

She smiled at Robb when he stepped out of his tent at almost the same time as her, giving him a playful nudge when he approached her.

“The sun looks good on you,” she teased, reaching to push his sunglasses down the brim of his nose, “You should try visiting the south sometime.”

“Is that an invitation?” he asked, raising his eyebrows and peering over his frames at her in a playful fashion.

She laughed aloud. “Perhaps. It’s warm enough to go swimming every day in The Reach.”

“Sounds delightful.” He chuckled, and for a split second she thought he meant to take hold of her hand, but he moved to take off his sunglasses instead. “I suppose I don’t need these for the time-being… Are there woods like this in The Reach?”

She nodded. “Though they’re not up in the mountains,” she explained, “Everything is a lot… flatter in the south.”

He opened his mouth to say something else, but they were interrupted by Theon.

“Oi, you two coming?” he yelled out, making her jump slightly.

“Yeah, we’re coming,” Robb replied. He placed a hand on the small of her back briefly as they walked towards the rest of their group, and she was certain the yearning sigh she let out after he left her side was audible.

All of them set off on the trail together, but Loras fell behind slightly to walk alongside her.

“Don’t give me that _cheeky_ look. I know exactly what you’re going to say,” she muttered, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Do you?” he challenged with a raise of his eyebrows, “You know that I’m going to ask if you’ve shagged Robb yet or not?”

“Oh, come off it… It’s not like that.”

“Sure it’s not. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you sneaking out of his tent every morning.”

She felt slightly panicked at his words, but he shook his head before she could say anything.

“Don’t worry, I think I’m the only one who’s seen. But you ought to be more careful if you’re trying to be inconspicuous.”

“I don’t know that we’re trying to be anything,” she admitted quietly, “All I know is that I like spending time with him.”

“Alright.” Loras still looked skeptical, but thankfully he shut up then, letting her enjoy the walk in peace.

She saw Sansa and Jeyne chatting to themselves ahead of her, and she broke into a jog to catch up to them. She was only a few paces away when she felt her foot snag on something, and suddenly she was falling to the forest floor, her ankle giving out beneath her.

“Oh my gods! Are you okay?” Jeyne was the first one to speak up, her hands shooting up over her mouth.

“Marg-” Sansa barely got anything out before Robb rushed past her, crouching down and placing a hand on Margaery’s shoulder.

“What happened?” he asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

“I tripped on a tree root or a rock,” she said, her face going hot, “I caught myself, but… I definitely hurt my ankle.”

Sansa stepped forward, her expression mirroring her older brother’s. “Can you try standing?”

Margaery attempted to get back on her feet once more, using Robb’s arm for support when he offered it to her, but her ankle seared with mind-numbing pain as she righted herself. He slowly lowered her back down when he saw her wince.

“I don’t think I can walk on it,” she admitted softly, pursing her lips together.

“I’ll help you,” Robb volunteered, then turning to the rest of their group “I can take Margaery back to camp and get her ankle wrapped up. There should be some gauze in the first aid kit… Then the rest of you don’t have to worry about missing out on the waterfall.”

“Oh… you don’t have to do that, Robb. We’ll can all just head back,” Sansa remarked, though Margaery could sense the disappointment in her friend’s voice.

She shook her head. “You and Jeyne have been talking about this all week,” she said, “Don’t worry about me.”

“I can take Margaery back,” Loras suggested, “She’s my sister, after all.”

“Or I can do it,” Theon piped up, “I didn’t care that much about seeing the waterfall anyway.”

“Robb’s the strongest.”

Margaery very nearly laughed aloud as Arya received a handful of glaring looks from the men in the party, but the younger girl merely shrugged her shoulders.

“What? If I didn’t say it, no one would,” she protested, “He’s the only one who really has the ability to carry Margaery back to the campsite, _and_ the only one of you with first aid training.”

“Thanks, Arya… I think,” Robb murmured before speaking up, “I’ll make sure she gets back safely, Loras.”

Loras looked to be holding back a smirk. “Oh, I’m sure you will.”

Margaery narrowed her eyes at her brother, but she didn’t have time to be cross with him before she was being swept off of her feet by Robb. She looped her arms around his neck, unable to help but give him a small smile in gratitude. If her face was red before, she wasn’t sure what ungodsly color it had turned now.

“Go have fun, seriously,” she told her friend, “I’ll be fine once I get patched up.”

Sansa nodded. “Thanks, Robb. You’re the best,” she declared, “Be safe, and… watch your step on the way back.”

“No more tripping on tree roots, I promise,” he replied with a grin. He drew Margaery in a little closer and then set off, turning back towards the campsite.

She stayed silent for a few moments, listening to the tread of his boots as he carefully made his way on the trail so as not to lose his footing. Her ankle was throbbing slightly with pain, but truthfully she was more concerned with how rapidly her heart was beating.

“So, that was sufficiently embarrassing,” she eventually remarked, giving a self-deprecating chuckle.

“What was?” he questioned.

“Tripping in front of everyone… In front of you.”

Margaery wasn’t sure if she imagined his cheeks turning pink. “Nah, it happens. I should have thought about finding you a walking stick before we left. We probably wouldn’t be in this situation right now if you would have had one.”

“This isn’t so bad,” she admitted in a murmur.

“No, it’s not, is it?”

She felt his fingers curl a little tighter around her waist, and she dared to rest her head against his chest. He smelled of cinnamon and campfire smoke.

They spent the rest of the trip back in comfortable silence; she didn’t wish to distract him too much with her talking, and she was content to just enjoy his company.

He gently set her down at one of the picnic tables when they reached the campsite and hurried to fetch the first aid kit tethered to the tree along with their other supplies. She unlaced her boot while she waited for him, flinching slightly when she pulled it off and pushed down her sock.

“I’m quite glad I was in scouts for all of those years now,” Robb said when he returned, kneeling in front of her and opening the kit. He unraveled the gauze and set about wrapping up her ankle; the whole thing felt rather intimate, and gooseflesh rose on her arms when his fingers brushed against her skin.

“Too tight?” he asked as he finished up, “Or do you think it’ll be okay?”

“That should work just fine, thank you,” she replied quietly.

He smiled and gave a nod, standing to his feet and then taking a seat next to her. “You look really pretty today, by the way,” he told her, causing her whole body to go hot, “Green is… erm, it’s a nice color on you.”

“You look rather handsome yourself,” she remarked. She almost told him that his sweater brought out the flecks of grey in his eyes, but she stopped herself.

He smiled wider, his gaze falling to the ground for a moment. She couldn’t help but find his humility sweet and attractive. “Sansa always said you were kind,” he said quietly.

Her mood soured slightly at his words. “I don’t know that I can live up to Sansa’s idealized version of me.”

“ _I_ don’t know why you’re being so hard on yourself,” he told her gently yet firmly, “You seem every bit as lovely to me as she described.”

“Yes, lovely and beautiful and confident.” They were words that had been used to describe her many times, both by her suitors and her parents, and she had begun to resent them. “Confident in my ability to charm and manipulate and read people,” she went on, “So that I know exactly how to act around them in order to ensure I come out on top… My grandmother instilled all of that in me from a very young age just in case I ended up marrying someone who didn’t have mine or my family’s best interests at heart. But maybe not so confident in my ability to be genuine and vulnerable around someone who…” She trailed off, feeling tears prick at her eyes.

“Who what?” Robb queried, reaching for her hand.

“Who I feel drawn to for some inexplicable reason.” She lifted her head to meet his gaze and watched his cheeks turn a brilliant shade of red once more.

“Sansa told me a little bit about what you went through in secondary school with your parents, and I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” he admitted quietly, taking her aback, “I’m… I’m not here out of pity or because I have some kind of hero complex or anything like that. I’m drawn to you too.”

She blinked several times, her mouth falling ajar as she struggled to think of what to say next, but he continued so that she didn’t have to.

“You _are_ lovely and beautiful and confident, but more than that… you’re smart and funny and you’ve encouraged my little sister to go to university and see herself in such a positive light,” he said with a small smile, “You don’t live up to Sansa’s idealized version of you because you’re better than that. And I’m not… I won’t judge you for being angry or sad or acting any way you _feel_ like acting. I promise you don’t have to be anything other than yourself around me.”

Margaery let go of Robb’s hand so that she could wrap both of her arms around him in a tight embrace. If it wasn’t for his previous words, she would have kept her emotions bottled up inside, but she let out a soft sob of relief into his chest as he drew her closer.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her hands clutching at the fabric of his sweater. The weight of his body was so comforting, and at the same time she was set alight with what felt like currents of electricity running through her veins.

“You don’t have to… Gods, Margaery, it’s what you deserve.”

She drew back then and pressed her lips to his in a wanting kiss, her arms moving round to circle his neck.

He hesitated for only a moment, his fingers pressing into her back as he kissed her fervently in return. She parted his lips with her tongue and nearly forgot about her ankle before she tried to move closer to him, giving a hiss of pain when she put weight on it.

“Sorry,” he whispered when she drew back.

She gave a soft giggle. “For what? You did nothing wrong… I only… Can you carry me to your tent?”

He raised his eyebrows, causing her to worry that she was a bit too forward, but then he nodded. He stood to his feet and scooped her up in his arms again, only walking a few feet to his tent and carefully kneeling down to help her inside.

He set her down on the blankets, and she gave a tug on the sleeve of his sweater to let him know that she wanted him to stay.

He chuckled, moving to lay down beside her and sliding an arm across her waist. “How does your ankle feel?” he asked quietly.

“Fine now that I’m not putting any weight on it,” she told him, “To be honest, kissing you is a wonderful distraction.”

“I’m happy to help,” Robb replied, giving a grin.

She turned on her side and slipped an arm around him as well, pressing her lips to his again. “I’m so glad I came on this trip. I’m so glad I met you,” she murmured against his mouth. His words had emboldened her. She was going to be completely candid with her emotions and her actions.

“I’m so glad for both of those things as well,” he said, trailing his fingers over her back. The gesture sent shivers down her spine, “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, Margaery. I can’t believe how lucky I am…”

“Funny, I was just thinking about how I was the lucky one,” she jested, nuzzling her nose against his.

They stayed locked in an embrace for some time, exploring one another and letting their hands roam. It felt so _nice,_ she thought to herself, to hold Robb’s affection and to be so wrapped up in him and only him. It was even better when their bodies began to shift against one another and she could feel his desire for her against her thigh.

Her hands moved to his belt so she could undo the buckle, and he suddenly froze, drawing back and looking at her with wide eyes.

“I’ve never-”

“Me either.”

“Do you happen to have a condom, or…?”

“No, I… You can just pull out when…”

He nodded his head, his face going crimson again. “Are you sure about this, Margaery?”

She reached up to run a hand through his curls, giving him a soft, reassuring smile. “I’ve never been more more sure of anything,” she murmured. It was a truthful statement; for all of her years of doubting herself and her future and her feelings, this was something that she was absolutely certain she wanted. “Are you alright?”

Robb smiled in return, sending her heart aflutter. “Yes, I’m more than alright, really. My head’s spinning a bit, but… That’s not a bad thing.”

She laughed. “Mine is spinning as well,” she admitted.

He only smiled wider before leaning in to kiss her, his hand coming up to cradle her face. She welcomed the act, slipping both of her arms around his neck and pulling him in close.

Margaery’s friends at university had recounted stories to her about their first times to her. Most of their tales involved drunken and sloppy encounters with strangers at pubs or high school boyfriends that came before pleasure could even start to overwhelm pain. She had often thought about what her own first time would hold, certain it would be be with a husband that she barely knew and didn’t love. She’d read enough romance novels in her spare time to know how they painted and romanticized sex with their mysterious, broody men and protagonists so broad they could fit whoever might be reading at the time.

_This_ , Margaery thought, was a thousand times better than any author could hope to conjure up. There were no candles or rose petals, but the blankets she laid on smelled of Robb, and she felt safe and warm in the tent where they’d slept next to each other for the past few nights. Robb was kind and tender and cared about making her feel good, and she wouldn’t trade that for a lifetime’s worth of scenes from a romance novel.

He was careful in removing her layers of clothing, and his gaze on her was enough to make her whole body flush with heat. He also took care in making sure she was comfortable as he slipped inside her and they moved together. It was a wonderful, almost indescribable feeling to have him so close, to be connected to him in a way she hadn’t been connected to anyone else. And when she gently directed his hand between her legs and he whispered her name, she found herself overwhelmed with desire and bliss.

She almost wished they could go on forever in this way, though she was spent and hot and sweaty when Robb pulled away from her and let out a deep groan. Still, she missed him immediately, her hand reaching for his as they both caught their breath. He pulled her into his side after a few minutes and kissed the top of her head. She rested a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat underneath her fingertips.

“I’d better get cleaned up before the others get back,” he muttered eventually.

She nodded her head, conceding, but not before kissing him once more, uncertain when she’d be able to do so again. If it was difficult to disguise her feelings for Robb in front of the rest of group before, she could only imagine how difficult it would be now.

* * *

That night she laid confined in her tent alone, unable to make her way over to Robb’s on her ankle. She did her best not to let her thoughts consume her as they normally did in the silence, but thankfully she didn’t have to anguish over them for long.

The crunching of leaves outside indicated that she wasn’t the only person still awake, and she was greeted with the sight of a familiar figure as Robb unzipped the front of the tent and crawled inside.

“I come bearing gifts,” he said with a teasing smile, shuffling towards her.

“I hope one is a kiss,” she jested in return, closing her eyes and puckering her lips.

She felt him lean into her and then came the heavy and wonderful weight of his mouth against hers. They both laughed as she slipped her arms around him and they fell backwards against the blankets.

“Thank the gods you came. I was lost in my thoughts without you,” she confessed when they drew back.

“I couldn’t leave you here by yourself. That wouldn’t be very kind of me.” Robb sat up slightly and pulled a flask from his jacket, handing it over to her. “It’s Winterfell’s finest whisky, brewed from the barley grown in the glass gardens in my own backyard… It’s also great for inducing drowsiness when you have too much on your mind and you can’t sleep.”

She raised her eyebrows before taking a swig. It was admittedly quite smooth and flavorful. “I detect… vanilla. And perhaps a hint of maple?”

“You’re good,” he said with a nod.

“Why didn’t you offer any of this to me before, when we were both having a hard time sleeping?”

“Firstly, that’s all I brought with me,” he told her, “I didn’t exactly plan on getting sloshed this week. I just like to have a bit before bed sometimes. And secondly... I liked staying up with you.”

She couldn’t help but smile then, leaning over to kiss his temple. “Has anyone ever told you how incredibly sweet you are?”

“You’re the first, but I’m quite alright with that.” He pressed his lips to hers. “So tell me… what were you thinking about? I might be able to help alleviate some of your worries.”

“I was just thinking about what I’m going to do after university… how I’m going to face my parents again,” she explained, “I haven’t really had much to do with them in four years. Even during summers I took odd jobs around campus and was given room and board in King’s Landing. I’m scared that… that all of my studies will be for nothing and they’ll just have more suitors lined up for me when I get home.”

Robb gave a long pause before saying anything, and through the sound of crickets chirping and wind rustling, she could almost hear the wheels in his head turning.

“We could get married.”

Margaery felt her heart give a leap in her chest. “Don’t be daft.”

“I’m not… Just think about it, Margaery,” he said softly, “Your parents would be pleased that you would be matched to someone with wealth, and you could do whatever you wanted here in Winterfell. You could work on greenhouse technology or at the nature preserve…”

“Stop it,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears, “I couldn’t do that to you. I won’t let you sacrifice everything for me. What if you end up falling in love with someone someday? I don’t want you to end up resenting me.”

His gaze fell to the ground as his cheeks flushed pink. “Falling in love with you… isn’t outside the realm of possibility.”

“You can’t know that for sure,” she muttered, shaking her head, “I really… I care about you, Robb, and what happened this morning was amazing, but-”

“It has nothing to do with what happened this morning,” he interjected, his brow furrowed, “It was just a suggestion.”

She worried her bottom lip before scooting closer to him, bringing her hand up to cup his jaw. “You are so dear and so selfless, and I don’t want to take advantage of that. I want you to be happy. I want you to have everything you ever dreamed of because you’re the loveliest person I’ve ever met, and you deserve it... Let’s see how we both feel somewhere down the line. If you want to write to me or call me…”

“Of course I do,” he replied, leaning forward to kiss her once more.

She gave a content hum against his mouth. The whisky was already starting to do its job, and she knew sleep would come easy despite her mind being flooded with thoughts.


End file.
